StLouisCruisers

Checking in right on time!

Bon Voyage!!

We're not fans of hot climate cruises like so many others are, but we manage to find ourselves in the heat often enough. This time it was November 19, 2017 on Sun Princess on four back to back cruises which included Papua New Guinea. On the 19th we arrived at Kiriwina Island. It was a pretty neat spot to visit for a day. We had to anchor out and tender into the small dock (but at least they had one!). First view Here's the dock These boats will offer rides to people. Here come the crowds! Some will lounge around on the beach all day, others just want to walk around and see what is happening, including locals setting up shopping opportunities. Step right this way to the "pedestrian shopping" path. After our morning exercise on the island we dined on the ship for lunch. Afternoon photos of Kiriwina Island I hope we see more of these islands on the port of the day list.

Good morning friends! It is chilly this morning at only 42F. The morning hours should be sunny but by 2 pm the clouds will move in and we will have a high temp of 65. Thank you Jacqui @kazu and Roy @rafinmd for posting the Fleet Report and Daily as well as the fleet location maps for Rich @richwmn. Many unique days to recognize today. I like celebrating achievers and adverse drug event awareness. Both important. But I had questions about what the second day was so checked it out on NationalToday.com. The full name is International Day For the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and For the Dignity of Victims. Whew! A shorter name might make it easier to recall. But let's support them too. The quote is so true. I don't like shrimp tacos, don't drink martinis or red wine. Great days in history. Thank you Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope, and Ann @cat shepard for your reports today. Prayers for all on the Care list, my DB, great nephew Alex's twin boys, friends Scott, Susan and Sandy, the people at war in Israel and Ukraine, the hostages still held, troops in the region, the NA crew members who died, and the victims of fires, horrific crashes and concert shootings. The world is really being tested. Congrats to those celebrating happy events and cruisers. Bon Voyage @RedneckBob!! Thank you Vanessa @JazzyV for your list keeping skills. Wishing you the best as you prepare for your surgery and hope for a full recovery. The port today is Kiriwina Island, Papua New Guinea Trobriand. It was the port only once before on July 14, 2023. We were there in 2017 on Sun Princess on our Papua New Guinea segment of 4 back to back cruises. Very interesting! Here is the link for your convenience. DD is driving down from Ohio after Palm Sunday mass, will stop in Atlanta to pick up an item at Ikea for DGD, and make her way down to our house to spend the night. Tomorrow she drives down to see her DD Morgan in Clearwater and enjoy a short visit this week with her. Wishing her safe travels and patience in the Atlanta regional traffic jam she will no doubt encounter. We always do! Hope you have a terrific Sunday, and please stay safe and keep well!

Bon Voyage everyone!

Every week I say they should remove that tree there mixed in with the palm trees. Blocks the whole ship. Looks sort of like a pine tree. Why the heck is it there?

Joy @Seasick Sailor what a heartbreaking story about the bus/cement truck/car accident. Prayers and condolences to all families involved. 🙏 So sad.😢

Bon Voyage!

Bon Voyage everyone!

Hope you have a great birthday @seagarsmoker. I see Graham and I had similar ideas. Good one @grapau27

Good morning friends! Today it is 55F with light rain expected for the next few hours. After a high of 68 and cloudy skies the sun will return in late afternoon. Thanks go to Jacqui @kazu and Roy @rafinmd for the Fleet Report and Daily as well as the fleet location maps for this Saturday. Atheists I'm not so sure about but chips and dip and cuddly kittens are to be recognized today. Another great day on March 23 is National Puppy Day so hurray for the pups! An interesting quote by Eleanor Roosevelt. I might try the chicken dish, no idea about the Cowboy cocktail but would enjoy the Sauvignon Blanc. My, what interesting days in history on this date. Thanks to Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope, and Ann @cat shepard for the reporting today. Prayers for so many and more were included yesterday. First my DB and great nephew Alex's twin boys, and friends Scott, Susan, and Sandy. Our Dailyites in need of prayers for health and well being issues. Praying that Vanessa's @JazzyV April surgery will go well and will remove the pain from her body. Sincere prayers for Princess Catherine and King Charles as they both undergo cancer treatment. For the families of the Nieuw Amsterdam crew members killed in the accident on board. The people of Ukraine and Israel, the hostages, and the military members in the region in harm's way. The unfortunate individuals who died in fires this past week. The list is too long! Hoping for improvement for all and that the list dwindles down to nothing someday. Very optimistic of me. But happiness and congratulations to those who have reason to celebrate and the cruisers are included. 🥂🎂🚢 Thanks Vanessa @JazzyV for the list keeping. You do a stellar job! The port of the day is Tolanaro, Madagascar. This was the port before on March 7, 2021, May 18, 2022 and May 20, 2023. I have not been to that port before but if you have, please share some photos! Here are the links for you. Have a good day today everyone, and please stay safe and keep well. Bon Voyage to Jane @lazey1 and Gary @GTVCRUISER!!

A new thread about an explosion this morning on the Nieuw Statendam. Terrible news! The original poster got it wrong. It's the Nieuw Amsterdam. Quote: "It’s actually on Nieuw Amsterdam. I’m onboard now At about 9 am the fire alarms and crew alert went off. The captain came on and indicated we had a steam leak and they were evacuating some crew cabins above the engine rooms. At about 10:15 they gave the all clear. At about 3, the Captain came on and said two crew members had been killed. Some of the crew say they were inspecting a steam line when it exploded. We are being held in half moon cay pending coast guard investigations."

+1. May his memories give you comfort and peace. Absolutely gorgeous garden, and I've wished for years to see it someday. Thank you for sharing.

I am sad to hear of Kate's cancer diagnosis and send my prayers up for her, too. 🙏 I've been thinking for weeks that I wish everyone would get "off her case" about staying in the background since her abdominal surgery. They should have just left her alone, and I hope some of the conspiracy theorists are ashamed of themselves for spreading rumors about her. She's entitled to her privacy as all of us are.

Good morning friends! This morning the temp is 55F with a high of only 60 expected and rain moving in by noon. Why does it rain every Friday here?? Thanks Jacqui @kazu and Roy @rafinmd for today's Fleet Report and Daily as well as the fleet locations maps. I would like to feel young every day, enjoy daffodils, and goof-off occasionally. 🙂 The quote is nice and I would enjoy the cake but can't say that's a meal! I'd better eat something else first. No thank you to the pineapple mojito or Cabernet Sauvignon. Interesting facts about this day in history. Thanks to our F&B ladies for their reports today - Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope and Ann @cat shepard. Prayers said while walking this morning for all our Care list people, DB, great nephew Alex's twin boys, Scott, Susan and Sandy, the people of Israel and Ukraine, the hostages being kept from their families, and our men and women in uniform in the region. There was quite a list of Daily friends when I said all your names during prayers. 🙏 I wish the best for all of you! Cheers to all on the Celebration list, anyone with a special event to celebrate, and all the cruisers. Seems like more are gone than are here some days! 😀 Thanks to our C&C reporter Vanessa @JazzyV for your hard work keeping up the lists. Prayers for your return to health ASAP and good luck at your neurosurgeon visit.🙏 Our destination today is Falmouth, Jamaica, an alternative to Ocho Rios and Montego Bay. I haven't been there before because the last time we had it scheduled on a cruise they switched to O.R. This was our port only once before last year on May 17, 2023. Here's the link for your convenience in retrieving your photos. Not sure what we will do today though I should do some dusting and vacuuming. DD is coming down on Sunday to spend the night and then she will drive on down to Clearwater to spend some time with her DD Morgan. It is spring break week for DD's school district. I have done nothing to prepare for a guest but will have that rectified by Sunday. I know I will do more stitching today for sure. Meanwhile, I hope everyone has a good start to their weekend. Stay safe and keep well!

Prayers for Allen that the MOHS surgeon can help. I hope tomorrow is a better day all around.

Debbie, from what he says he should use more moisturizer because she says he doesn't use a sufficient amount. (BTW, that's what I would tell him, too!) Also she recommended laundry detergent for sensitive skin, fragrance free. No brand mentioned. She said the Dove for men soap he uses now is okay. We used to use a discontinued brand which contained cocoa butter so I wonder if that has something to do with it, too. He complained of itchy scalp on the back of his head and she apparently called in a prescription for something (shampoo? lotion?) because there was a call from Walgreens a few hours later. Guess we'll find out what it is when we pick it up. This is all taken from what he told me because I wasn't in the examination room with him.

DH and I did well today at the dermatologist's office. His skin is too dry so she made recommendations for that. Thankful for nothing major this time.

It starts at 8 pm so you should see it. Hope the weather is good for you. An absolutely wonderful experience.

Good morning friends! Today it's 46, and will be 75 with partly cloudy skies predicted. Once again rain is expected for our Friday and possibly even Saturday. I guess we'll discover whether the roof repairs hold up. They'd better! This morning we are heading to our dermatologist for our annual check ups. Fingers crossed nothing needs biopsied or frozen! Thank you Jacqui @kazu and Roy @rafinmd for the Fleet Report and Daily as well as the fleet location maps. Interesting that Volendam will be at Bora Boar today! 🤣 I know some incredible kids, probably won't celebrate Big Bang, and am happy to hear there might be some companies that care still left in this world. To the quote I say, really?? So many slow cooker menu suggestions. They save people time and energy so that's important. I pass on the drink but would try the rosé. More nice days in history. Thanks Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope, and Ann @cat shepard for your food and beverage reports. Prayers said this morning for all our Care list people. Let's try to whittle that list down! I hope for improvement for you all. Prayers also for DB, great nephew Alex's twin boys, friends Scott, Susan and Sandy, the people of Israel and Ukraine, the hostages still held, and our military members in harm's way in the region. Prayers and condolences to the Pennsylvania family who lost so many members in the fire there. Such a major tragedy.🙏 Three cheers for the Celebration list people and the cruisers! 🥂 Hurray for Brenda's DS doing a great job on his master's defense yesterday! 👏 Thanks go to Vanessa @JazzyV for the list keeping today. Praying for an answer to keeping your pain away. The port today is Salerno, Italy. It sounds like somewhere I've been but didn't see it in my records. This is another new port so no links for you today. Hopefully you have some photos of what is undoubtedly another beautiful Italian port of call. I hope you all enjoy a great Thursday, and remember to stay safe and keep well! Sorry I'm not present as much as before but I have a mission to complete my cross stitch stocking in record time. Making good progress!🪡

Good morning friends! This Wednesday morning our temp is 40 at the moment but it shows it could drop as low as 37 before it's all said and done this A.M. High will be 70 though with a mix of sun and clouds. Not too shabby. Thanks Jacqui @kazu and Roy @rafinmd for posting the Fleet Report and Daily as well as the fleet location maps for Rich @richwmn today. Astrology Day and International Day of Happiness are nice to recognize, but Dogs in Yellow? Apparently it's for anxious dogs. A very smart quote from Benjamin Franklin. No thanks to the quiche, drink or wine. Interesting days in history. Thank you to Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope, and Ann @cat shepard for those reports each day! Prayers said for my DB, Great Nephew Alex's twin boys, friends Scott, Susan and Sandy. Special prayers for those at war in Israel and Ukraine, the hostages who need to come home, and the military members in danger in the region. Prayers also said for all on our Care list and it seems to grow larger every day.🙏 Best of luck today to those seeking answers like Jacqui, Pennie, Ann's DD, Elizabeth, Vanessa, Annie and Chuck. 🤞 Best wishes to Brenda's DS at his master's defense today. Congratulations to anyone with a special event to celebrate and all those on cruises or preparing for one!🚢🎂 Thank you Vanessa @JazzyV for the list keeping! The destination is Ile de Mayotte, French Comoros, Comoros. From what I understand this refers to the island of Mayotte. We haven't had that particular name shown, but we have had the port of Mamoudzou before on Sept. 4, 2022 and Nov. 29, 2023. I can show those links just in case they are helpful. Another destination missed due to Covid cancellations! I hope all of you have a great day and please try to stay safe and keep well.

I know! I guess the white rabbits need lots of carrots. And this from the child who hates vegetables!😄

Good morning friends! It's 32F and it will be a sunny day with a high of 60. Spring begins at 11:06 pm tonight. DD took down the St. Patrick's Day tree and put up the Easter/Spring tree. I'll post photos at the end of this post.🐰 Thanks go to Jacqui @kazu and Roy @rafinmd for today's Daily and Fleet Report as well as the maps. I recognize the good work of certified nurses, international clients who help make our businesses a success and would love to have someone read to me. Another twisted Oscar Wilde quote. I'm sure someone will enjoy the chicken dish with polenta. Long Island Iced Teas are pretty potent aren't they? Not a fan of chardonnay unfortunately. Good info on the days in history. Thank you Debbie @dfish, Dixie @summer slope, and Ann @cat shepard for the great reporting each day. Prayers for our Care list people and I do like to mention you all by name. Also for the people at war in Israel and Ukraine, and their hostages still held, plus for the safety of our troops in the region. And certainly for DB, great nephew Alex's twin boys, my friends Scott and Susan, and for Bob's widow Sandy. She is struggling with all the paper work for pension problems and the life insurance people. They all just want you to get frustrated and go away, don't they? So many prayers and I hope for improvement in all situations!🙏 Cheers to our folks celebrating happy events like birthdays 🎂 and anniversaries and to all who are cruising or preparing to. 🚢 Enjoy! Thank you Vanessa @JazzyV for the Care and Celebration list keeping. Wonderful job every day. I hope your pain issues can be addressed again before things get too bad. The port of the day is Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was our port before on June 19, 2022. I have missed that port before due to various reasons, Covid cancellation being one of them. Here is the link for your convenience in retrieving your photos. Thanks in advance! This morning we have our roofer coming over once the frost on the roof is gone to replace the boots around the vent pipes up there. Apparently they don't last forever so best to get that done before total failure. I hope you all have a successful day. Stay safe and keep well. Here's the latest celebration tree. Sorry Debbie about the carrots!

Vanessa, I'm sorry you still have some sleeping problems caused by the leg pain. They really need to find a fix for your nerve issue. I'm glad you get a chance to see the UK friends and hope that sitting in the theater isn't too painful today. This has really affected your every day existence and I'm sure you want your old life back. I hope you can get the IPad working properly soon. I guess I should leave those daylilies covered for a few nights due to freezing temperatures. But last year they didn't get uncovered and most didn't even show up for the one week of blooming they normally do the first week of June. Sigh. I sure didn't choose them, that's for sure. The strangest thing happened last night at 8:00. I was sitting here with the TV on doing stitching I guess. I looked up and saw a box on my screen saying Tune to Call the Midwife? or something to that effect. Normally it doesn't do that - only when there are about 5 different programs/movies etc. programmed at the same time. It can only handle so many shows at one time. But there was only Call the Midwife and one other thing recording. If it hadn't shown that box on the screen I wouldn't even have known it was recording it. I immediately texted my twin and said Hey, Call the Midwife is on now! and she texted back in a split second saying Thanks! Ha! Ha! One thing that put a smile on my face and made me happy on Act Happy Day is a text I got this morning from DGD Morgan. She said only 1 week after moving in and she already feels such a dramatic difference in her overall happiness and how she lives her life. She said she's so so thankful for being able to move. 🤍 Well, we're thankful that she's no longer anxious and unhappy. Priceless!

Can't really do that this trip. It will be fine.🙂